Move over store-bought chili powder! With an incredibly robust and vibrant flavor, NOTHING compares to homemade chili powder made from scratch – it’s a total game changer!
We all know people who claim to make THE best chili on the planet. You may be one of them. And you may be right. But what I’m offering you is a secret ingredient to add to your already amazing chili…it’s a total game changer.
Why? Because nothing – and I mean no fancy doodad gourmet store-bought or special ordered chili powder – can compare to homemade chili powder!
And by that I don’t mean taking a bunch of pre-ground spices and mixing them together, because that’s maybe only slightly better than store-bought chili powder.
No, I’m talking about using fresh, whole dried chili peppers and whole spices, and roasting and grinding everything. Yes, I’m talking from scratch, with the best ingredients.
In 10 minutes you’ll have a stash of the freshest, most aromatic and flavorful chili powder EVER. And with it you’ll take your proud chili recipe, Mexican food, roasted meats, veggies and more to a whole new level!
How to Use Chili Powder
Use your special homemade chili powder to give a deeply rich flavor and color to your chili and a whole host of other favorite Mexican dishes.
Sprinkle some on your chicken or beef before roasting or grilling, or add a spoonful to give life and zest to your soups, stews, beans and vegetables.
Try it in our Pozole Rojo!
Try it in our Grilled Steak Fajitas!
The bold and vibrant flavor of your homemade chili powder will also transform your homemade barbecue sauces.
Try it out in our Cherry Barbecue Sauce!
You can use any variety of chile pepper you like, but for the best, most complex flavor, we recommend using a variety. I like to use a combination of ancho chile peppers and guajillo chile peppers. And if you like a bit heat, add some arbol and/or cascabels. And any other varieties you like.
Be selective about which dried chiles you use. The ones in grocery stores are nearly always old, dry, brittle and flavorless. Freshly dried chile peppers should be soft, supple and aromatic. I have been very happy with and recommend this brand’s ancho and guajillo peppers.
Ready to make some show-stopping homemade chili powder?
Let’s get started!
Remove the stems from the dried chilies and scrape out and discard the seeds and membranes. Heat a cast iron or heavy pan over medium-high heat and place the chilies in the pan single file so they’re not overlapping. Roast on both sides just until fragrant (approx. a couple of minutes) being very careful not to scorch them or they will taste bitter. Remove and let cool.
Place the whole spices in the pan and roast until very fragrant, being careful not to scorch them (a couple of minutes). Remove and let cool completely.
Once the chilies and spices are completely cooled, place them in a blender or spice/coffee grinder with the remaining ingredients and pulse until it’s a powder.
Transfer to an airtight jar for storage.
For best flavor use within a few weeks.
Enjoy!
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BEST Chili Powder (from scratch)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dried red chile peppers (we highly recommend a combination of ancho, guajillo and any other variety you like, and if you want heat add some arbol and/or cascabel peppers)
- dried ancho chiles (I use this brand)
- dried guajillo chiles (I use this brand)
- 3 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 whole cloves (or 1/8 teaspoon ground)
- 2 small allspice berries (or 1/8 teaspoon ground)
Instructions
- Remove the stems from the dried chilies and scrape out and discard the seeds and membranes. Heat a cast iron or heavy pan over medium-high heat and place the chilies in the pan single file so they're not overlapping. Roast on both sides just until fragrant (approx. a couple of minutes) being very careful not to scorch them or they will taste bitter. Remove and let cool. Place the whole spices in the pan and roast until very fragrant, being careful not to scorch them (a couple of minutes). Remove and let cool completely.
- Once the chilies and spices are completely cooled, place them in a blender or spice/coffee grinder with the remaining ingredients and pulse until it's a powder. Transfer to an airtight jar for storage. For best flavor use within a few weeks.Makes about 1 cup of chili powder.
Gayle says
For those of us who are newbies, can you please provide ratios for the original 4 ounces of dried chilis? I don’t know what to use as a baseline. Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gayle, I’m not sure I understand your question. You need a total of 4 ounces of dried chilis and you can use any combination you like. For example, 2 ounces of guajillo plus 2 ounces of ancho.
Faith V. says
You were right–NO store-bought or homemade chili powder I’ve tried has compared to this! And by “homemade” I mean “mixing store-bought spices together.” The flavor is AMAZING, RICH and NUANCED! Yes, it’s a little extra work, but I’m not stranger to spending more time to make it homemade, because I know it’s a better result in the end. Anyways, for this I used guajillo, ancho and chile japaones! The result was sweet, moderately spicy powder! It’s great! I can’t wait to use it for chili!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Faith, I’m so happy you enjoyed it and appreciate the feedback! :)
Marco says
Does something make the cast iron preferable to oven roasting?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Marco, not really, it’s just simpler, easier to keep an eye on to prevent burning. You can roast them in the oven if you prefer.
Michael Robinson says
How much of this per pound of meat is recommended
Ray says
Hi Michael,
It’s been over a year since your question was asked and I see it has not been answered. If you are substituting this for store-bought “Chili Powder” (such as McCormick) I would start off using 1 Tablespoon per pound of meat and then make the rest of your recipe as you normally do. My chili uses four pounds of meat and I add 4 TBSP of store-bought Chili Powder and then add fresh diced and sauteed ingredients (peppers, onion, garlic, etc…) to attain the taste that I am looking for.
Tom Moonen says
Thank you for providing such a creative recipe. It reads the best of all I’ve been reading on the net. I find it strange, however, that anyone serious about cooking with the best, freshest ingredients, would consider using garlic powder rather than the ubiquitous fresh garlic. Many of these recipes on the web are also including onion powder as well! These powdered versions of garlic and onion ruin any recipe in my mind. Come on people. If you’re going to take the time to make a serious chilli masala, then let’s smash some garlic and chop some onions!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Tom, how do you suggest incorporating fresh garlic and fresh onion into a DRY powder?
Jason says
Good for you Kimberly, I was thinking the same thing. Love this recipe, glad I found it.
Brandon J. Li says
I’m pretty sure Tom means to make this recipe without onion or garlic powder and then add add fresh onions and garlic directly into the food being prepared.
Orrrrrr……..do what we do and take Freeze Dried Garlic and Onion Flakes and grind up a batch of our own that will last a few weeks :-)
TimD says
I agree. I seed and core the dried peppers then simmer for 30 minutes in a little water. Puree the peppers and their liquid in a food processor. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Then add it to your recipe when appropriate.
Anonymous says
The chili’s were from a local Mexican grocery store. They were soft and pliable. Not like some from the chain grocers where they are hard as rocks. It may be a combination. I suppose I could have cooled longer also. I am taking your advice and spread it out onto cookie sheet for a while. So excited about this recipe. Thank you
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Right, soft and pliable is a good thing. Another thing you can do also is store it in the fridge for longer safe-keeping, or even freeze it and then get out what you need when you need it. But when I make it it’s also on the “soft” side (though I wouldn’t call it moist, but I know what you mean) and I’ve never had a problem with it going bad or moldy. Happy cooking with that chili powder! :)
DMW says
After blending it seems, I guess kinda moist. Is that normal?? The taste is definitely there and I sure want this to turn out.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi DMW, were the dried peppers you used fully dry? Were they fully cooled when you ground them? If they were still warm that will trap moisture in. If you’re using “fresh” dried peppers the chili powder will be what you could describe as a little “soft” but not moist. If you’re not certain you can spread the chili powder out onto a lined cookie sheet and let it either air dry out a bit or put it in the oven on the lowest setting and check it frequently until it feels dry to you.
Sandra says
I seriously can’t wait to give this a try!
Anna says
I love the idea of making spices from scratch! I can’t wait to try this chili powder!
Catalina says
This will be great to have on hand this week! My husband will go crazy over this chili powder recipe!
Allison says
I had never even considered making chili powder from scratch! What a great idea. So much more flavor!
Chrissie Baker says
Thank you….Love this recipe! Looks yummy. Going to make this tomorrow…I am making chili for my husband.
Melanie Bauer says
Looks awesome! I love everything about this recipe, absolutely a must try!
Chris says
I’ve been making my own chili powder for years and I’ve never tried it with allspice, definitely giving it a go on my next batch!
Amanda says
I will Definately be trying this! Thank you so much!